Various can openers are known. Common home can openers of the type for removing lids of cans include a smooth wheel cutting blade, which is driven through the lid through application of pressure against a counterpoised serrated drive wheel that is applied under a lip of the can just outside the lid, and moved along the circumference of a round can or the other similar boundary of another shaped can such as of a round cornered rectangular type by rotation of the serrated wheel. The advent of squeeze handles, although adding bulk to a small hand held can opener such as EKCO's Model-881 Miracle Roll can opener, improved the performance of the manual can opener, with the addition of electric motor power providing for less effort and greater speed.
Many canned goods, however, include a substantial quantity of liquid water or broth. Frequently, it is desired to drain such a liquid before accessing the remaining solid food.
In addressing the lattermentioned desire to drain the liquids from such cans, it is known to simply take the smooth wheel type can opener and make a cut partially around the circumference of the lid, leaving the lid on and draining the contents; or to take a punch type can opener intended for making opposing triangularly shaped holes about the circumference of the lid to drink or pour out its liquid contents as for now obsolete, simple beverage cans, and with that device make a few small holes in the lid, and then draining the contents. Various other art of the latter type is known. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,861,438 to Grisko for a can punch; 2,029,607 to Brenner for a can punch; and 2,716,808 to Hart for an attachment for punching and clearing pouring openings in can tops. Such are cumbersome, and dripping is encountered.
In further addressing the desire to open a can to access its solid contents after inside liquid has been drained away, it is known in addition to the foregoing art to either pry a partially opened lid open, which can be a cause of severe cuts; or to fully open the lid, say, with a smooth wheel type can opener.
Little if any art is known to address both needs in one can opener, save that partial and complete cuts may be made by those who know the “trick” with the same smooth wheel type can opener. Perhaps, too, those who would have employed the “trick” of making a punch hole type partial opening with a beverage type can opener might have found that that “trick” works with a smooth wheel type handled can opener that has on one of its handles a standard beverage punch hole can opener such as on the EKCO Model-884 Three-way Miracle can opener. Such operations are inconvenient.
Other art is also known. See, U.S. Pat. No. 2,784,488 to Olsen et al. for a perforating device. See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,308,272 to Berglund for a punch; 3,491,445 to Gallo for a perforating tool with perforating means mounted on opposed wheels on the ends of pivoted handles; 4,193,191 to Sisco for a turret punch; and 6,282,796 to Lin for hole-punching pliers. Compare, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,401,821 to Silverman for a perforating iron; 1,645,385 to Kaplan for a perforating wheel; 1,681,667 to Johnston et al. for a marking tool; and 4,502,223 to Brookfield for a hand tool with toothed rotors for dislodging material from a surface. Compare, Fine Cooking, “Smooth-edge can openers are a cut above,” February/March 2006, pages 32-33.
It would be desirable to ameliorate or solve problems in the art. It would be desirable to provide the art with alternatives.